First HD DVD Player Hits UK Stores

While I’ve already brought you news of Toshiba’s first HD DVD players from IFA now the first one has hit UK shelves. (Image:player)

From the start of this week the HD-E1 will be available in shops priced at a very reasonable £449 (including VAT). This is less than half the RRP of the first Blu-ray player from Samsung, the BD-P1000.

In line with my previous reports, the HD-E1 will support native playback of HD DVDs at up to 1080i as well as DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-R DL and DVD-RW discs and all formats of CD. It has HDMI 1.2 connectivity, Composite, S-Video, Component and Ethernet connectivity and at just 4.1Kg and measuring 430 x 345 x 65.5mm is a lot more svelte than the BD-P1000 (but then again so it your average Sumo wrestler).

The E1’s higher end sibling the HD-XE1 (it adds HDMI1.3 and is equipped with 297MHz/12bit Video DAC outputs and RS-232C) will turn up a month later in January with an RRP of £649.

So finally the UK high definition disc war is under way. Now can we please have a winner sooner rather than later…